Montana Democratic candidates for Senate square off at debate

May 4, 2014

Rich Ecke of the Great Falls Tribune, standing at podium, moderates a Democratic campaign forum Saturday for U.S. Senate with, seated from left, U.S. Sen. John Walsh, former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger and Dirk Adams in the Cameron Auditorium at Benefis Health System. / TRIBUNE PHOTO/LARRY BECKNER

Written by

John S. Adams

Tribune Capital Bureau

The three Democratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate on Saturday squared off in a debate in Great Falls.

Incumbent Sen. John Walsh, former Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger and Wilsall rancher and political newcomer Dirk Adams met at the Benefis Health System Cameron Auditorium for a 95-minute debate in which they traded barbs over campaign finances, health care reform, the environment and civil liberties.

Walsh is the former Montana National Guard adjutant general and served one year as lieutenant governor under Gov. Steve Bullock. Bullock appointed Walsh to fill retired Sen. Max Baucus’ seat in February.

Walsh remained steady and mostly avoided directly attacking either of his Democratic opponents.

He focused most of his criticism on Republican Rep. Steve Daines, the presumptive GOP nominee. Walsh took aim at Daines on a variety of issues, ranging from Daines’ support for Citizens United, to his vote to shutdown the government, and for supporting measures that erode civil liberties.

Adams, the political newcomer in the race, spent most of his microphone time criticizing Walsh on everything from Walsh’s stance on the environment, to his campaign’s acceptance of corporate PAC money, to Butte’s Berkeley Pit, which Adams warned was only 10 years away from becoming the “greatest man-made environmental catastrophe” in the world.

Adams attempted to paint Daines and Walsh with the same brush.

“You’ve got to understand, the same people who give money to Steve Daines give money to John Walsh, and he takes it,” Adams said.

Bohlinger, who was seated between Walsh and Adams, was less pointed in his criticisms of his Democratic rivals but also slammed Walsh’s campaign finance record.

Walsh had raised just over $1.5 million and as of the end of March, had about $700,000 in cash on hand.

Bohlinger mostly touted his six years in the Montana House, six years in the Montana Senate, and eight years as former Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s lieutenant governor.

“I have 20 years of lawmaking experience. I’m the only candidate who has introduced legislation that has become law, some of which is the most progressive our state has ever seen,” Bohlinger said.

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In opening statements, Adams said Democrats should stand on principles learned from the land and the people who came before us.

“What I would say to you, is this is not only a gorgeous landscape, but a magical and mystic place,” Adams said. “We also have to remember who we are as a people.”

Adams said Montana’s native Indian tribes and early pioneers did not leave the elderly, infirm, children or women behind when they set out on a trail, and neither should elected leaders in Washington, D.C.

“I’m proud to be a Democrat, and I believe Democrats are the ones who honor this cathedral in which we live, and they are the ones who want to bring bring every one along, because that is who we are as Democrats,” Adams said.

Bohlinger criticized money in politics and asked who should be “in charge of our democracy” the “Washington D.C. power brokers” who gave money to Walsh and Daines, or “the people of Montana.”

“I’m running because I believe in free and open elections,” Bohlinger said. “I’m running to give Montanans a choice.”

Adams denied that characterization, pointing out that he is not accepting donations from political-action committees or lobbyists.

Bohlinger and Walsh both said they support overturning the Citizens United decision through legislation or a constitutional amendment.

Adams said it would be difficult to pass a constitutional amendment and encouraged voters to take their own action.

“There’s something you can do right now: Don’t vote for people who take big money,” Adams said.

Bohlinger, a former Republican, said he was attracted to the GOP because they were good money managers.

He said over time he realized he is not a good fit for the Republican Party “because of their lack of concern for the human service efforts of government.”

Walsh spent most of the debate seeking to define himself as the general election opponent to Daines.

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“It’s never been about John Walsh. It’s about what can I do to make the organization I’m serving in right now better so the future generations will have a better organization to take over,” Walsh said.

Walsh talked about how his family, and in particular his granddaughter, inspired him to run for the Senate.

“I want to make sure if my granddaughter Kennedy wants to go to school in Montana that she’ll be able to afford it,” Walsh said. “I want to make sure her civil liberties are protected. I want to make sure the government doesn’t get between her and her doctor.”

Several members of the audience submitted questions relating to coal development and the Keystone XL pipeline.

Another question from a panel of journalists asked the candidates to explain their positions on climate change and what lawmakers’ responsibilities are in dealing with it.

Adams, who staked out strong pro-environment positions on the campaign trail, said he is the only environmental candidate in the race.

“I’m the one who opposes the Keystone XL pipeline. I’m the one who says coal is dead, and it is. There is no investment thesis for coal. I’m the guy who talks about climate change on the campaign trail,” Adams said. “I’m the environmentalist in this campaign and I think the environment is the economic engine in this state. It is a false choice to say you have to choose between the environment and jobs.”

Walsh said he agrees human activities are contributing to global climate change, but he said he supports continued development of coal and oil because it creates good jobs and lessens the nation’s reliance on foreign energy sources.

“We want to move away from fossil fuel consumption, but it’s not going to happen overnight,” Walsh said. “Right now the safest way to do that is through the Keystone XL pipeline.”

Walsh said he’s seen firsthand the impact the nation’s reliance on Middle Eastern oil has had on America’s military.

“I don’t want to send another young man or woman to the Middle East to fight for oil or natural resources,” Walsh said.

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Walsh said he supports the Keystone XL if it’s built with the best available materials and creates jobs for Americans and Montanans.

Walsh said as a Butte native, he understands the impacts resource extract can have on the environment.

“I don’t invite people to Montana to see the Berkeley Pit,” Walsh, who referred to his home town as “Butte, America,” said.

That’s why he supports “responsible” resource extraction.

Bohlinger said he also believes that humans are contributing to global warming, but he said he supports fossil fuel development until until there are reliable and affordable alternatives to coal and oil.

Bohlinger agreed with Walsh that the pipeline is a safer method of transporting the Canadian oil sands crude than by rail or truck.

Adams, who called for more debates among the candidates, also took aim at Walsh for ignoring a looming environmental catastrophe in his home town.

The rising toxic water in the massive Berkeley Pit is 10 years from hitting Butte’s groundwater and less than 12 years from flooding the Columbia River Basin, Adams said.

“We are 10 years away from the largest environmental catastrophe in the history of the world,” Adams said. “If we had a senator from Butte, America, maybe he’d be talking about that about something that’s really important in the media. Maybe he’d be talking about it on his website. This is an environmental disaster of huge proportion and we’re not talking about it.”

On health care, Bohlinger said he supports the Affordable Care Act as a starting point.

He said the federal health care overhaul did some good things, such as eliminating preexisting conditions and expanding Medicaid.

Bohlinger said he wanted to see it expanded to a single-payer program, a line that earned him a wave of applause from the audience.

Walsh said he was disappointed with the roll-out of the health care law.

“With regard to supporting ACA, the jury is still out,” Walsh said. “The intent was to bring health care costs down and provide health care for all of our citizens. As of today, we’re not seeing that.”

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Walsh said the federal government needs to find ways to bring down health care costs “so we can provide quality, affordable health care for all our citizens.”

Adams also said he supports single-payer health care and criticized Walsh for not taking a stance on the issue.

“We have right now in our interim senator someone who can’t say he supports Affordable Care Act because some consultant has told him that wasn’t going to win,” Adams said.

On the military, Walsh touted his past efforts to support Malmstrom Air Force Base’s flight mission and vowed to continue to work to keep an active mission in Great Falls.

“It’s important we maintain a national security posture,” Walsh said.

Walsh said he would work to make sure that as America reduces its stockpile of nuclear weapons, that all of those cuts aren’t made at one base such as Malmstrom.

“I have fought for defense resources,” Walsh said. “I will continue to fight for defense resources here in Great Falls because I understand where they fit in the strategic picture.”